Capt. Scott McClung Takes the Helm at TowBoatUS Dana Point

DANA POINT, Calif., May 23, 2017 – Captain Scott McClung, who has been boating and fishing the waters around Dana Point, California, since he was a young boy, is the new owner of TowBoatUS Dana Point, an on-water towing and assistance service for recreational boaters. “I’ve been working here as a first-out captain for five years, and this is the job I was born to do,” said McClung, who bought the business when the former owner retired. “I love helping people, and I know this area so well that I am able to provide prompt service 24/7 to anyone who needs fuel, a jump start, or a tow back home if their boat breaks down.”

Much like a reliable auto club for boaters, BoatUS offers TowBoatUS on-water Unlimited Towing Membership plans for saltwater boaters and anglers for just $149 a year which includes BoatUS membership. Boaters face costs that average $700 per towing incident – with some paying into the thousands out of pocket – when they don’t have an annual BoatUS towing plan.

McClung, who holds a 100-ton US Coast Guard Master license, has spent his life working on the water as an ocean lifeguard, a dive master and as captain of his family’s 150-foot ocean-going research and training vessel for 20 years. After his family sold the research ship, McClung came ashore and taught captain’s license courses. “I liked the teaching, but I had to get out of the classroom and back on the water,” he said, explaining how he came to work for the former Vessel Assist Dana Point, recently renamed TowBoatUS Dana Point.

TowBoatUS Dana Point covers a vast and very popular boating area along the Pacific Coast, from Laguna Beach to Oceanside. Dana Point alone has slips for 2,500 boats, and Oceanside about 1,000. “We have very strong sailing and fishing communities, so we get calls to assist all kinds of boats,” McClung said. “It’s a wonderful boating area,” he added, but notes that boaters sometimes get themselves into trouble by not paying attention to navigational charts and by failing to anchor when they have a breakdown. “That can turn what would be a normal fuel drop into a real problem if the boat drifts onto the rocks or lands on the beach.”

TowBoatUS Dana Point operates two assist boats: a 27-foot Farallon with a 400-hp inboard diesel and 24-foot Skipjack with a 400-hp inboard/outboard engine. Both are painted bright red with the white TowBoatUS name and logo emblazoned on their hulls, and they are fully rigged for towing and salvage, with powerful pumps, battery jump packs, dive gear and extra fuel.

Boaters can reach TowBoatUS Dana Point by hailing on VHF channel 16, tapping the free BoatUS Smartphone App, calling the company directly at 714-307-2413, or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869. More information can be found at BoatUS.com/towing.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocate, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We provide our more than half-million members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on-water towing that gets you safely home when your boat won’t, will bring you fuel if you run out, jumpstart your dead battery, or provide a gentle pull after you’ve run aground. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with more than 300 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels, responding to over 70,000 requests for assistance each year. The new BoatUS Mobile App makes it easy to summon on-water and on-road assistance 24/7, and can speed response times (BoatUS.com/app). For more information go to BoatUS.com/towing.